Elevators, Assistants and Attraction
by AMayes
Summary: Elevators, Strangers and Surprises from EPOV. Edward Cullen meets a beautiful woman on the elevator. When he finds out she's to be his assistant, how does it affect his strict rules against office romances? AH
1. Chapter 1

_**Happy New Year, everyone! It's 2010!**_

_**So it seems I couldn't completely let these characters go. Instead, I give you Edward's point of view! I don't think I will redo every single chapter but the ones that I thought were key. I meant to give it the other title I mentioned before but FFN won't let me write a title so long! Hence, it's now Elevators, Assistants and Attraction.**_

_**If you haven't read Elevators, Strangers and Surprises, I would suggest it, but it's not essential to follow this.  
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_**Thanks to katmom for putting up with my neediness and beta'ing this chapter for me. Your support means the world to me!**_

_**I received amazing reviews for ESS. Many many thanks to those of you who read, reviewed/alerted/favourited. I know I wasn't the greatest at replying but I read and treasured every single review I got.  
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_**I must say, I love being in Edward's head, whether it's Stephenie's creation or my version of her creation. The chapters listed in this story will be the same as from ESS, but obviously from Edward's eyes.  
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_**I hope you enjoy this. There is more to come.  
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**_**Elevators, Assistants and Attraction  
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**Chapter 1  
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Edward Cullen entered the lobby doors of his building, prepared, as usual, for another day on the job. He considered himself quite lucky, he enjoyed his job and he was good at what he did.

Empire One, the PR firm he had built up from scratch, was faring remarkably well. Already he had been featured in a few business magazines which gave the company more publicity.

As he walked towards the elevators, he remembered that today he would be meeting his new assistant. He could only hope that Human Resources had hired a more competent person this time around. His last assistant, Jessica, had not only been woefully inadequate, she'd also been incredibly inappropriate. All he knew of the new assistant was her name, Isabella Swan.

Edward recalled how Jessica had attempted to seduce him in his own office one evening after the rest of the office had gone home. Thoroughly disgusted, he'd wasted no time in disillusioning her. Unfortunately, she'd taken that as a cue to try harder and he'd had no choice but to fire her.

If there was anything he prided himself on, it was his ability to separate work from play. It was a strict rule of his not to mix business and pleasure. Edward knew of too many instances where office romances had gone awry and he was determined not to become one of those statistics. He wasn't blind to the fact that women found him attractive, but there was a time and place for things like that and work wasn't one of them.

Not that he had had much time for play anyway. For one, work kept him busy and, maybe more importantly, no one seemed to really interest him.

Edward made his way into an empty elevator, thinking about how he was going to present an idea to a new client.

The doors were about to close when he heard a feminine voice call out,

"Wait! Please, hold the doors!"

He obligingly held the doors back and a young woman stepped in. She shook her hair back from her face, a little out of breath from running.

"What floor do you need?" Edward asked as the doors slid shut.

"33, thanks..." The woman looked up at him, giving him a clear view of her face.

He felt as if the breath had been knocked out of him. Before him stood a veritable goddess. Long, wavy dark hair fell to below her shoulders, framing a pale face with large, chocolate brown eyes. She was slender, her dress clinging to her frame perfectly.

This woman was beautiful. Edward couldn't help staring at her, feeling as if he would get lost in the deep brown of her eyes.

He didn't remember pressing any buttons, but the elevator began its upward journey while he continued to gaze at the woman as if he were seeing one for the first time.

It seemed she was just as entranced as he was, until she suddenly blushed pink, ducking her head to look at the floor. Edward mentally berated himself for staring so unabashedly, assuming it had made her uncomfortable. He had better manners than that. Still, he kept stealing glances at her, though she kept her gaze fixed on the floor.

Abruptly, the elevator stopped, jerking them from where they stood. The woman, in an attempt to regain her footing, grabbed at his upper arm and tie. She seemed to temporarily find her footing but slipped and started to fall again, yanking on him as she went down.

"Damn it!" Edward muttered, as he felt himself jarred off balance. With the woman still clutching at him, he did his best to keep from falling right on top of her, slapping his hands down on either side of her face. "Are you all right?" he asked, worriedly.

Initially dazed, the woman's eyes grew wider and her cheeks turned even redder than before. This served to make Edward aware of the position they were in. He was on top of her, supporting his weight on his arms, with their lower halves touching. The awareness brought on a sudden urge to ravish the lovely creature under him.

The thought went as quickly as it came when the woman made to sit up, knocking her head against his face.

"Ouch!" she cried out, bringing a hand to her forehead.

Edward sat up, ignoring a mild throbbing on his cheek where her head had hit him, keeping a hand on her shoulder. "Just lie back down; it might be safer for both of us." He smiled at her, hoping she hadn't seen the prior flash of desire that he was sure had shown on his face.

"I'm so sorry," the brunette apologized. "I'm...a bit of a klutz. Usually I have a bigger space to work with."

Her self-derisive tone made Edward laugh. Beautiful and funny, he could feel his attraction to her growing stronger by the second. "No apologies needed. It's not everyday I'm literally bowled over by a beautiful woman." His gaze dropped to her lips. They looked entirely too kissable.

The woman had started her second attempt at sitting up when the elevator jolted again. She stiffened, drawing in a breath. Edward's arms automatically went around her, seeking to keep her safe. The motion brought the brunette flat against his chest. Her breathing had quickened, though Edward wasn't sure whether that was due to the elevator or his embrace.

He also wasn't sure why he had thought it a good idea to bring her any closer to him. He could feel the heat emanating from her body and a heady scent tickled his nose. She seemed to fit against him like a glove.

It was distracting, to say the least.

The woman lifted her head and met his steady gaze. The moment their eyes locked a sort of current immediately started flowing between them. Edward had never wanted to kiss a woman more than he had then.

The brown eyes seemed to become darker, as the woman's mouth opened slightly. Giving up fighting the urge, Edward started angling his head towards her, his whole being anticipating feeling her lips under his own.

A crackling noise came from the intercom, interrupting the moment, and making Edward wish that maintenance hadn't been quite so prompt.

"Hey there, hope you folks are all right. We'll be fixing the situation for you in a jiffy. Sit tight."

The woman broke away from him, quickly standing up and pulling unnecessarily at her skirt. Edward followed her lead, noting that she came up to his chin.

Unwilling to let the encounter be a one-time thing, Edward decided to speak up.

"I'm Edward Cullen. Could I get your name?"

The woman looked surprised to hear his name. Evidently she had heard of him before.

"I'm Bella Swan," she replied, her cheeks staining pink again.

This time it was Edward's turn to be shocked. His heart both leapt and fell at the same time. If this was the Isabella assigned to him, it would mean she was an employee and therefore off limits.

It seemed a rather cruel joke that this lovely woman, who he was undeniably drawn to, would be untouchable.

It was a situation Edward wasn't at all pleased with.

"_Isa_bella Swan? It's your first day at Empire One, isn't it?" he stated more than asked.

"How did you know?"

"You've been assigned as my assistant." He tried to keep the disappointment from his voice, not wanting her to confuse the reason for it.

Bella blinked, digesting this news. Edward wondered what she was thinking.

The elevator came back to life, resuming its ascent to the 33rd floor. Once it reached its destination the doors slid back to reveal the glass entry of Empire One.

He gestured towards the doors. "Welcome to Empire One, Ms. Swan, I hope you'll enjoy working here."

Edward waited for her to step off the elevator first. As he watched her delicate frame disembark, he knew that his self-imposed rules were in for quite the challenge.

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**Cheers, guys! Please leave me some love if you like it! I have another chapter ready to go for next week - likely to post on Tuesday. Reviews keep me happy (and writing). :) Follow me on twitter, the link is on my profile.  
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	2. Chapter 4

_**Welcome to the 4th chapter in the adventures of BossWard! I put a little of chapter 3 in there as well. This was one of my favourite chapters in ESS. I mean, is there anyone out there who DOESN'T love it when Edward loses his self-control?  
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_**Thanks so much for all the reviews I got for this story! I loved them all. I've been trying to keep up with replies so I'm sorry if I haven't got to yours yet! Also, I received some lovely reviews I couldn't reply to. Log in so I can give my thanks!  
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_**Many thanks to katmom for beta'ing and giving me her much needed opinions on what to include and what not to. You should all go and read her amazing story: **_**Dragon Stones**_**. It's a wonderful read.**_

_**Follow me on twitter, the link is on my profile page. I tweet nonsense and also teasers. I like to think I'm somewhat amusing.  
**_

_**I thought I had something else interesting to write here but I don't, so onto the story!**_

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**Elevators, Assistants and Attraction**

**Chapter 4**

Edward was having a bad time of it and the reason for his distress had just walked out of the photocopy room.

In the privacy of his office, Edward ran his hands through his hair in a frustrated gesture, wondering how in the world this woman had managed to get such a hold over him in such a short time. It was unsettling to say the least.

He should have known that asking her to accompany him to the gala would have been too much for his self-control. He'd nearly come undone when he saw her in the shimmery, dark blue dress that looked as if it had been made especially for her. He had thought Isabella Swan was beautiful before, but it was nothing compared to seeing her in this new light.

She was breath-takingly lovely; anyone with working eyes could see it. Edward was well aware of the attention she was receiving from the men at the function. It made him burn inside to think of Bella with anyone else, even though he had no claim over her himself.

And that damned Jacob Black. He wasn't exactly proud of how he'd childishly cut in on Jacob's dance with Bella. Seeing the woman of his dreams in the arms of another man had prompted an alarming impulse to punch him out – Edward wasn't given to displays of violence, however seeing Black's obvious interest in Bella had made him want to wipe the smile off of his face.

He had been unprepared for how charged their dance had been. Once he had her in his arms, he hadn't been able to get her close enough. It was near torture to be holding her and not know if she felt the same intense desire he had for her.

If it hadn't been for the wildly twirling couple, Edward would have committed a transgression that went against his principles.

Resisting Bella Swan had become a full time job and his discipline was beginning to wear thin.

Edward wasn't entirely sure his advances would be welcome in any case. She had never been anything but professional in the workplace. Other than occasionally catching her eyes on him, she gave no indication that she found him any more interesting than the other men who worked at Empire One.

Now, he'd just asked her to work late. He wasn't a total fool, being alone with her would've been asking for trouble. Luckily, Jasper was needed for the project as well and Edward hoped that his presence would alleviate any strain that might arise.

The evening started out normally enough, with the three of them working in the conference room. Edward was glad that he had been right, Jasper's company kept him from thinking too much about his assistant and he was able to get a fair amount of work done.

That was until Jasper turned out to be too ill to continue and went home leaving him alone with an all-too available brunette. On a dark and empty office floor.

Edward knew he was in trouble.

The air almost immediately became laced with tension. For her part, Bella continued to work, seemingly undisturbed by Jasper's departure.

Meanwhile, Edward felt as though an invisible cord was pulling him towards his assistant. In a vain attempt to relieve some of the pressure, he loosened his tie and opened the collar of his shirt. He had already rolled his sleeves up as was his habit when poring over files.

Taking Bella's lead, he tried to concentrate on the work before him with little success. He was too conscious of her. He noticed every little movement she made, from making notes with her pen to shifting in her seat. It was so quiet in the conference room it seemed he could hear her breathing in and out.

Edward was doggedly keeping his eyes fixed on the presentation. He was afraid if he looked at Bella that he would throw her down on his desk and act out what was becoming his prime fantasy.

It was a lawsuit waiting to happen.

"I'm going to make some coffee, do you want any?" Bella asked, standing quickly.

"No, I'm fine," Edward replied, working to keep his voice light.

"Okay, I'll be right back." She practically ran out of the room, bumping into the table on her way out.

He heaved a sigh of relief at being alone in the room. Rubbing his forehead, Edward wondered if he should just call it a night. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take.

Deciding that leaving would be the best option, Edward grabbed the thick client file and exited the conference room. Figuring he would tell Bella they were finished for the night, he headed towards the kitchenette.

He was surprised to find it still dark. He was even more surprised to see Bella leaning against the counter, her arms stretched out in front of her, her head resting against the cabinets. The position outlined her slender figure, her skirt riding up slightly in her bent posture.

It was the most erotic thing Edward had ever seen. At that moment all rational thought left him. He didn't even feel or hear the file drop from his hand and land on the floor. All he could think about was touching her.

Walking up behind her, he placed his hands on her shoulders, sliding them down the silky, soft skin of her arms to rest on top of her hands. The scent of her hair only served to heighten his arousal and he bent his head to murmur into her ear.

He could feel her stiffen under his touch. As much as he wanted her, he wasn't about to force himself on her.

"Tell me to stop, Bella, and I will. Tell me how wildly inappropriate this is to bring me back to reality." Half of him hoped she'd slap his face, but the other, stronger, part of him wanted her to touch him in return. "Say it, Bella."

"I...can't," she whimpered. The admission, coupled with the tone of her voice caused Edward to finally give in.

Turning her, Edward looked into her eyes, finding desire and lust clearly written in the chocolate orbs. It was all the permission he needed and he captured her lips in a bruising kiss.

Any lingering doubt he might have had about Bella's feelings toward him were laid to rest. Her mouth moved under his, her arms rising up to link behind his neck, her hands twining in his hair.

The moment their lips met, Edward was engulfed by a barrage of lust. No woman had ever affected him like this. He needed her closer to him and snaked an arm around her waist to bring her hard against him, eliciting a groan from her.

Edward continued to move his mouth hungrily against Bella's. His tongue sought entrance to her mouth which she willingly gave, her arms clutching him more tightly as their tongues stroked one another.

He was gratified to find that she was just as desperate for him as he was for her. Bella was straining to get as close to him as possible, he could feel the curves of her breasts smashed against his chest.

Bella's hands left his hair to travel down his chest to his abdomen where she hastily pulled at his shirt so she could run her hands over the skin underneath it. Edward let out a curse when he felt her fingers go even lower and brush his arousal through his pants.

His need for her reaching a new high, Edward grasped Bella by her waist and lifted her onto the counter top, moving between her legs and pulling her back against him. Somewhere in the back of his mind he considered the fact that he was about to pass the point of no return...with his assistant, on a countertop.

The gentleman in him struggled to surface and break free of the lust-ridden monster that had taken over his body. When Bella pulled back from him, Edward feared he had gone too far. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her away. He was about to try and apologize but Bella spoke first.

"You're beautiful." She said it with a trace of awe. Studying her face Edward saw, not the disgust he had anticipated, but passion and desire – for him.

"Nothing compared to you. I've wanted to do this since I first saw you in that elevator," he returned, his fingers tightening unconsciously around her waist.

His unintentional action garnered an unexpected response from the woman before him. Bella groaned, wrapping her legs around his hips, binding herself to him. Edward felt himself yanked forward as Bella grabbed hold of his tie in an effort to kiss him. Any thought Edward had harboured of remembering his manners, of stopping their impromptu tryst flew out of his head when their lips met once more.

The kiss was hard and demanding. Neither was willing to yield, their mouths moving feverishly together. Edward could feel Bella's heated core where it was pressed up next to his erection. She was slowly grinding herself on it, her moans and mixing with his.

He used his leverage to thrust back against her, ready to take her right there on the countertop. His mouth left hers to explore the supple flesh first at her throat and then down to the juncture of her neck and shoulder, sucking lightly at her skin.

Using one arm to keep her as close as possible, Edward raised his free hand to skim Bella's ribcage, settling on the curve of her breast. He heard her gasp when he cupped her fully, moulding her to his hand.

Edward was so far gone, he didn't hear the persistent knocking on the glass entry doors. It wasn't until his father's voice rang out that he registered they were no longer alone.

"Edward! Are you there? Your mother wanted me to stop by and pick up something from here."

Edward felt Bella freeze next to him.

"Shit!" He fought to regain control of himself which, considering Bella's legs were still wound around his waist, wasn't easy. Resting his forehead on her shoulder, Edward took a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm the raging fire in his body.

With great reluctance, Edward pulled away from Bella, his hands curled into fists to keep from touching her again.

"Who is it?" Bella asked. She came off of the ledge, trying to smooth down her hair.

"My father. I forgot he said he was going to stop by tonight." Edward was tucking his shirt back into place. Looking down as his tie, which was mangled by Bella's manhandling, he decided to take it off, knowing he'd never get the wrinkles out. "I'd better go let him in."

Edward walked to the doors where he saw his father waiting. He saw him take note of his dishevelled appearance, the blue eyes turning wary.

"Hi, Dad. Sorry, I got caught up with work, I forgot you were supposed to come over," Edward said, leading his father into the deserted office floor. He could see Bella had turned the lights on and had disappeared from the kitchenette.

"You're working too hard again, I can tell. Are you getting sick? You're looking rather flushed. No tie today?" Carlisle's voice held a suspicious edge, making Edward uneasy.

"I was wearing one, but I took it off. You know how I hate those things." He could hear the irritation in his tone which caused his father to look at him even more closely.

They were approaching the conference room where Bella was organizing the many documents they had been working with.

He saw Carlisle's eyebrows arch up upon seeing her there, his expression clearly asking, _who is this and what were you doing with her?_ Edward clenched his jaw.

"Bella? This is my father, Carlisle Cullen. Dad, this is my assistant, Isabella Swan."

"Isabella? The one you mentioned the other day? Oh! It's very nice to meet you, Ms. Swan. I hope Edward isn't working you too hard."

Bella smiled, nervously. "Please, call me Bella. It's good to meet you too."

"Are you two alone here?" Carlisle asked, looking directly at his son with a knowing expression.

"Jasper started with us, but he went home sick," Edward answered tersely, not wanting to talk about it in front of Bella.

"I see." Carlisle glanced from Edward to Bella.

Bella broke the brief, but strained silence that followed. "Edward, is it alright if I go home now? I'm getting pretty tired."

He naturally agreed and, after some departing pleasantries, Bella excused herself from their company.

Edward could feel his father's eyes on him. "Just say what you're thinking, Dad."

"What's going on between you and your assistant? And don't say nothing; you two are so wired you seem ready to implode."

"We were working late," Edward said, shortly. "And that's all." He was in no mood for a lecture from his father about proper professional behaviour. After all, he'd practically written the book about it.

"Edward, I wasn't born yesterday. Your shirt is rumpled, you've got no tie and neither of you would look at each other. I know how you feel about your private and professional lives. This isn't like you."

"I've got it under control," Edward retorted, his temper rising. "And as far as I'm concerned, the subject is closed. What did Mom want you to pick up?"

Carlisle gazed at him, his face unreadable. Edward sensed he wanted to say something more and he tensed, ready to argue.

"Your mother wanted to know if you still had the umbrella you borrowed a few weeks back," Carlisle said, dropping the topic. Edward relaxed the tiniest bit.

"Yeah, it's over here." He retrieved the umbrella, giving it to his father.

"Thanks. Why your mother is so attached to this, I'll never know. I'll leave you to it then, shall I?" Carlisle came up to him, and gave him a thump on the back. "We'll see you for dinner on Sunday."

"Okay. I'll see you out." Edward walked his father to the entrance and waited with him until the elevator arrived to take Carlisle down.

Going back into the now completely empty floor, Edward paused at Bella's desk.

It was neatly kept, with a few photographs of her with her family and friends gracing the top. Edward picked one up, staring at Bella's smiling face. She was everything he'd been looking for – and his employee.

His mind went back to the encounter in the kitchenette, recalling how well she'd fit around him, the emotions she invoked in him that he'd never felt before.

The mere thought caused his groin to tighten, indicating what Edward already knew.

He wasn't in control at all.

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**Thanks all! Reviews make BossWard happy.  
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	3. Chapter 5

_**Hello! Sorry for the wait on this, I got sidetracked by another fic idea. *sigh* I really need to learn to reign myself in.**_

_**Many thanks to katmom for her lovely beta'ing skills. I recommend you check out her profile and read her stories! They're wonderful. **_http://www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/1774644/

_**I wrote a piece for MsKathy's Twifans for Haiti compilation. If you'd like to read it, along with many others contributions, go to MsKathy's blog to find out how: **_http://mskathyff(dot)blogspot(dot)com

_**Thank you so much for the reviews and alerts! I'm sorry if I didn't get a chance to reply to you yet. **_

_**Follow me on twitter, the link is on my profile page.  
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_**This instalment follows chapter 5 from Elevators, Strangers and Surprises. **_

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**Elevators, Assistants and Attraction**

**Chapter 5**

The shrill sound of the alarm woke Edward from what had been a rather restless sleep. Groaning, he rolled over to slam his hand down on the offending appliance, effectively shutting it up.

Rolling over onto his back, Edward stared up at the ceiling, willing the images of a certain enticing brunette to leave his mind. It was no use, not to mention his body was showing the near painful evidence of the direction his thoughts had taken.

It had been frustrating to the extreme to have to stop the virtual mauling he had been giving Bella. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her and the passionate exchange they had shared in the break room. The memory of it had been enough to prompt him to find release with his hand...twice.

Since he'd first laid eyes on Bella, she'd become the sole star of his fantasies. No one else interested him in the least.

Edward knew that, as Bella's professional superior, he had been completely out of line in kissing and touching her the way he had. If she wanted to, she could very well throw a lawsuit in his face, though something in him doubted she would take that kind of action.

It wasn't something he'd ever dreamt he'd have to deal with. He who had self-imposed a strict set of rules when it came to his professional life.

Rules he had broken and stomped over the evening before. Rules that he would gladly break again if it meant being able to touch Bella once more, feel her softness under his hands and hear again the breathy way she had moaned when he stroked her smooth skin.

Irritated with himself, Edward flung off the covers, now fully aroused, and plodded towards the bathroom, anticipating yet another cold shower to start the day.

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Stepping into the elevator in the lobby, Edward leaned his head back against the wall, thinking of what he would say to his assistant.

The right thing to do would be to apologize and assure her that nothing of the sort would ever happen again. Yet, the idea of even saying the words to her made his body tense. It would mean she was available to the male population. The thought of Bella finding someone else was intolerable. It would be torture to stand by and watch that happen.

Edward knew she wouldn't stay single for long, no man would be able to resist the beautiful temptress that she was. Picturing someone else even touching her made him see red.

He wondered when he'd become such a possessive caveman. It made him more sympathetic to a past girlfriend who had been too clingy for his liking, always wanting to be with him, and hating the female attention he received when they were out.

The only other option was to tell her how he was beginning to think he'd do anything for her; that she occupied his thoughts night and day and that he might very well be falling in love with her.

The elevator doors slid open to reveal the glass doors of Empire One. Edward stepped off, still having no idea of what to say to Bella, and entered the office floor.

He caught sight of his assistant sitting at her desk, chewing on her nail. He approached her, feeling nervous and very much like a schoolboy who was going towards a first crush.

"Bella," he croaked. Clearing his throat, he continued, "Can I have a word with you?"

She turned around to face him, lifting her brown eyes to meet his gaze. Her skin seemed a little paler than usual and she seemed to be holding herself taut. The dark hair he loved seeing loose was pinned back into a knot. Her clothing was also more conservative than usual, covering up more of her body. Not that she ever wore anything remotely inappropriate to the office.

He guessed the reason for her appearance and it made him worry that he really had offended her. Edward supposed he was meant to be turned off by her look, but instead he was imagining the curves of her waist and breasts under the shirt she wore.

Bella stood, breaking him out of his inappropriate musings. "Yes, I'd like to talk with you as well."

"Is it all right if we go into my office?" he asked, not wanting to have others know what had transpired between them.

"It's fine." She nodded. They walked, side by side, to his office. He could smell her shampoo as she passed him to enter the room and he ran a hand through his hair absently.

Her closeness was affecting him too much, his body reacting in the worst way possible for the moment. He didn't want Bella to see him sporting an erection and so he went to sit behind his desk. Following his lead, Bella seated herself across from him, much as she had her first day at work.

Edward found he wasn't any closer to having the perfect words to say now than he had the evening before. He opened his mouth and then closed it, now fully annoyed with himself.

He decided to be completely upfront with her. Honesty was the best policy after all. Bolstered by his resolution, Edward straightened up in his chair.

"Bella, I..." He didn't get any farther than that as Bella hurriedly interrupted him. She was determined to speak so Edward sat back and listened.

He dearly wished he had gone first. As her words sunk in, his grip on the arms of his chair grew tighter and tighter until he thought he might crack them in half. Edward did his best to keep a neutral expression on his face, trying not to let it show how much Bella's speech was affecting him.

She thought their encounter had all been a big mistake. Logically, he agreed with her. He was her boss, and thus, it was unquestionably improper behaviour.

The other, illogical, emotional side of him wanted to lunge across the desk grab her, and show her how wrong she was.

Of course, he stayed where he was, gritting his teeth, hoping she didn't notice the white-knuckled grasp he was exerting on the innocent armrests.

"...I know you keep work and your personal life separate. We were just…tired last night. I wasn't thinking straight. I assure you I'll quit before I let anything like that happen again." Bella finally stopped talking, leaving a heavy silence in the air.

Letting go of the chair, Edward brought his hands up, putting the fingetips against each other in an unconscious attempt to draw attention away from his face. He struggled to find a response to what she had said.

What he really wanted to do was ask if she meant it. Her response to his advances the night before indicated she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.

He was saved again from answering when Bella misinterpreted his silence.

"Unless you were...planning on letting me go..." she said slowly.

Edward's full attention was back on her at this startling question.

"Why do you think I'd do that?" he asked, surprised.

"Well, I heard that you had to let some of your other assistants go because of trouble with…staying professional." She looked troubled.

"Where did you hear that?" Edward wanted to know how the hell she had found out about Jessica.

"From Jacob Black, when we were at the party."

Goddamn Jacob and his big mouth.

The mention of Black's name reminded Edward of the many admiring looks the dark-haired man had thrown Bella's way. Did she find him attractive as well? Was that why she had declared last night had been a mistake?

It was decided, he was going to kill Jacob Black.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned it," Bella said, apologetically.

Edward realized his face must have been showing what he was thinking. "No, it's fine. I didn't realize you might be worrying about that." He hastened to reassure her. "Bella, it was never my intention to fire you. You are, by far, the best assistant I've had. You take your work seriously. Those others I had to let go…didn't. I'm surprised you were even concerned about that. Especially in light of the fact that I was the one who…came to you. If anything, I should be the one worried about my job, not you." Edward grimaced, the truth of his words hitting him hard.

"I think we should just consider it a mistake…a lapse in judgment on both our parts," Bella said, keeping her eyes averted as she spoke.

Edward knew she was right; there was really no choice but to put the whole situation behind them. Their working relationship depended on it. Still, it felt like someone had punched him in the gut.

"Yes, you're right," he forced himself to say. "A mistake." He could hear the flatness in his tone as he lied.

Bella blinked rapidly a few times before standing up. "Right, well, if we're in agreement then I'll get back to work."

Edward only nodded his head, his eyes fixed on her every movement as she made her way to the door. He wasn't sure he'd seen her properly but it seemed as if she was trying to keep back tears.

This woman had captured his heart, and he'd made her cry. Edward had never felt more like an idiot then he did then. There was nothing else for it though.

"Close the door behind you, please."

When he heard the door click shut, he allowed himself to slump down in his chair.

He told himself it was a necessary conclusion, ignoring the empty feeling inside of him.

******

The day was busy, which took Edward's mind off of his assistant, keeping it on business at hand.

Ironically, Jacob Black had contacted him, requesting a meeting to look over a proposal they had been working on together. While he didn't relish the idea of seeing the man, Edward knew he couldn't give up business because of whatever personal feelings he harboured towards Black.

In any case, he didn't know if anything was going on between Black and Bella.

Edward hung up with a client and headed towards the copy room, where he found Lauren standing.

The blonde smiled at him, flipping her hair over her shoulders. Edward stifled a sigh, at least Lauren was much more tactful than Jessica. She wasn't his favourite person but she was good at her job and he didn't want to have to constantly be reorganizing his staff.

"I gave the package to Bella," Lauren informed him as she pulled the drawer open to refill the copier with paper. Edward recalled giving the parcel to his secretary to give to Bella. It was cowardly but he hadn't wanted to face her so soon after their talk in his office.

"Good, thanks, Lauren." Edward gave her a brief smile. "How is Bella settling in?"

"Well enough," Lauren replied, indifferently. "One assistant is the same as another."

"Hmm," Edward responded, refraining from mentioning how much he disagreed with her comment.

He handed a few files to Lauren for copying and left the copy room.

On the way back to his office, he caught sight of Jacob Black's tall form standing in the entryway...and Bella's more petite figure beside him. She was smiling up at Black, her hand extended, offering a small, white card to him.

Her contact details.

Edward stopped dead in his tracks, a wave of jealous rage washing over him. If he'd wanted to punch Black before, he now wanted to flog him into the ground. Unaware of the rather harsh expression that was currently residing on his face, he headed straight for the pair.

"Jake," he bit out. He spared Black a quick glance before transferring his gaze over to Bella.

The brunette dropped her head, refusing to meet his eyes. The only sign she was affected was the blush that was starting on her cheeks.

"Hi, Edward," Jacob said easily. "I'm here to go over the proposal with you. I was just finishing up a transaction." He gave Bella a knowing wink which only caused her to turn an even deeper shade of red.

Edward didn't respond, not trusting himself to speak or even move without making a scene. All he really wanted to do was take Bella away and make sure she never laid eyes on Black again.

He kept his gaze on Bella, willing her to look at him. He was rewarded with a quick, appraising glance. Whatever she saw made her face tighten.

"I'll leave you two to it then," she said. "It was nice seeing you again, Jacob."

"Likewise, I'll give you a call later." Jacob smiled widely at her.

The two men watched Bella disappear around the corner. Jacob turned to Edward.

"Shall we go over the account, Edward? Or do you want to glare at me for a little while longer?"

"Let's go into my office." It sounded more like a command than a request.

Once they were in his office, Edward rounded on his client.

"Jacob, I want to make one thing clear."

Jacob looked at him, curious. "Okay, I'll bite."

"You try and entice Bella away from Empire One to work for you, and you'll have me to answer to."

"Entice her away from Empire One or from you?" The black-haired man raised an eyebrow.

"Don't hurt her. I won't stand for it." Edward's tone was curt. He picked up the phone to instruct Lauren to bring in the necessary files.

"Could it be that the great and stoic Edward Cullen is in danger of breaking his strict moral code? Pigs really do fly." Jacob was grinning at him.

"Drop it, Black," Edward snarled. Jacob raised his hands as if surrendering.

"Won't say another word."

Lauren came in then, handing the required files to Edward.

The two men got down to perusing the proposal, an undercurrent of animosity hovering about them.

Edward was glad when Jacob left around an hour later. They might not have liked each other personally but professionally they saw eye to eye. Yet, he couldn't help thinking that Jacob had been a tad smug throughout their interaction.

It hadn't helped to stem his desire to lock Bella away so she wouldn't be able to date him.

He was just beginning to edit the campaign for La Push when the phone rang.

"Yes?" he answered.

"Ms. Denali on the line for you, Mr. Cullen," Lauren informed him.

Edward rolled his eyes. Tanya. As persistent as ever. If it wasn't for the business connection, he'd want nothing to do with her.

"Okay, thanks, Lauren, I'll pick it up." Steeling himself, he pressed the button to take the call. "Edward Cullen."

"Edward! It's Tanya, how are you?" She sounded too happy to be talking to him.

"I'm fine. What can I help you with?"

"Well, it's actually about the meeting you're supposed to have with my father...he won't be able to make it. There's a mini-crisis going on at one of our other divisions, so he flew out to deal with it."

"Okay, and he wanted you to tell me that? We can always reschedule."

"No need, I'm going to come in his place, if that's all right with you."

Edward hesitated before answering. He knew there really was no option but to meet her as distasteful as he found the idea. After fighting off her advances on numerous occasions, he wasn't looking forward to more of the same.

"That's fine," he said reluctantly. "Do you have the details of where and when we were supposed to meet?"

"Yes. Shall I come to pick you up, or vice versa?" she asked, hopefully.

"No, it's easier if I meet you there. I'll see you on Saturday."

"I look forward to it, Edward."

He cradled the receiver, running a hand through his tousled hair. Bella was potentially going on a date with Jacob, and he was stuck meeting Tanya tête-à-tête the upcoming weekend.

It wasn't shaping up to be a good week at all.

*******

The next morning, after what had been a rather sleepless night, Edward arrived at work early – and in a foul mood. Thinking about Bella and Jacob together had done little to improve his temper.

Walking through the building lobby, he saw the doors of an elevator about to close and he hurried to catch up, thrusting his hand out to push the doors back.

An all too familiar scent wafted under his nose and he realized he had just stepped into an enclosed space with Bella Swan.

The doors slid closed, effectively locking them in.

"It seems we're fated to be on these together," he commented, with a fleeting smile.

Bella, who'd had a faraway look on her face, smiled back. Momentarily struck by how her smile further beautified her features, Edward fell to wondering if she was thinking about Black.

He automatically tensed, hating the fact that he had witnessed the date creation first hand. At the present moment, he hated it even more that she was so close to him and that they were alone in the elevator with no third party to help take the pressure off.

The impulse to push her against the wall and taste her lips was overwhelming. He wanted to see if she would let him and at the same time it would be in opposition to everything they had talked about and agreed upon.

Despite it all, Edward couldn't rid himself of the memory of how she'd felt around him, the way her mouth had moved so invitingly under his, the way her breasts had fit perfectly in his hands.

It was almost more than he could bear.

Afraid that he would lose control again, Edward kept himself rigid, unconsciously leaning away from her to put as much space between them as possible. His hands were curled into fists at his side so he wouldn't reach out and touch her.

"Edward? Are you okay?" Bella asked, her tone worried.

"I'm fine," he said shortly. Suddenly, the words he'd been holding back spilled out, unbidden. "Are you dating Jacob Black?"

It was Bella's turn to stiffen. "Yes. Not that it's any of your business." She looked directly at him, displeasure clear in her expression.

He had his answer, no matter that it made him want to punch a hole through the wall. It was confirmed, she was actually dating Black.

Edward closed his eyes, breathing out through his mouth to try and control his emotions.

"You're right. It isn't any of my business. Forgive me." Thankfully, the elevator doors opened right then, saving them from any further conversation.

Wanting to escape the space as quickly as possible, Edward walked off the lift. He pushed the glass doors with such force that they swung wide, hitting the stops with a loud bang.

He headed straight for his office, in no mood to say hello or converse with any of his employees.

Needing the name of a client pulled up, Edward walked out to Lauren's desk only to find it empty. Checking the clock he saw it was past 9 – 9:05 to be exact.

He saw his secretary come rushing up to the desk.

"Where have you been?" he snapped at her. Lauren looked surprised at his tone of voice.

"I'm sorry, traffic was terrible..." she started to explain.

"We start at 9 a.m. I expect you to be here at 9 a.m."

"Yes, I know, but I..."

"No excuses, Ms. Mallory, just see that it doesn't happen again." Edward knew he was overreacting but couldn't seem to stop himself. He quickly left Lauren's desk, leaving a stunned secretary looking after him.

Edward returned to his office only to realize he hadn't retrieved the information he'd needed.

Anyone passing by his door would've heard enough cursing to turn the air blue.

**********

The day was finally coming to a welcome end. After enduring a meeting where all he could think about was getting his assistant alone and imagining the things he would do to her, Edward was more than ready to get out of the office.

He was sitting at the edge of desk, staring moodily out the window when Jasper showed up in his doorway, a bag slung over his shoulder.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"You have no idea," Edward replied, checking his wallet to make sure his gym pass was in there. The two men left the office floor.

"Is everything okay with you? You seemed kind of – distracted today," Jasper said, once they were down in the lobby.

"I'm an open book it seems," Edward said, wearily.

"Hardly. You don't seem like yourself though."

"I don't feel like myself," Edward muttered. He hadn't felt like his old, assured self since meeting Bella Swan.

"Want to grab a drink after the gym?" Jasper asked.

Edward considered the question. He and Jasper were certainly friendly and the blond man was pretty much his right hand in the company, but he'd never confided in him before.

In fact, he'd rarely confided in anyone, much less Jasper, before.

Figuring there was no time like the present, Edward agreed, "I'm buying."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Please show me some love in the form of a review!**


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